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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the hot item takeaways from last week's RheumNow.Live 2026.
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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal articles and regulatory news from this past week on RheumNow.com
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A cost-effectiveness analysis compared FDA approved fibromyalgia drugs (pregabalin, duloxetine, milnacipran) with amitriptyline and found duloxetine was the preferred strategy across perspectives.
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Among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients responding to upadacitinib (Rinvoq) or adalimumab, those receiving the former had significantly less residual pain with treatment, according to a post-hoc analysis of phase III trial data.
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JAMA has published a full read review of RLS - restless leg syndrome - a frequent, but often unrecognized, cause of poor sleep and the resultant hazards of insomnia.
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A Canadian population study shows that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have 30% higher emergency department (ED) visit rates for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSCs) compared to age- and sex-matched population controls.
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The year 2025 presented numerous advances in rheumatology and related inflammatory and autoimmune disorders ranging from several new groundbreaking FDA approvals/indications, drug developments, game-changing guidelines and practices that will impact patient care for rheumatic diseases.
Dr. John Cush
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Comorbidity & Health Management
https://t.co/cSwCEDKL28 https://t.co/WP7yIdWPVY
Dr. John Cush
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#RNL26
Haque @HopkinsRheum
1/2 of Americans will be obese by 2030
"Obesity is common & obesity is expensive"
Adipose tissue - active endocrine organ -> cytokines, chemokines, adipokines
Leads to inflamm axis - risk factor similar to 🚬, higher activity, worse response https://t.co/yQLTpE7reY
Dr. John Cush
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RT @Gibson_RheumPAC
GLP-1 receptor agonists do more than promote weight loss.
They impact insulin resistance, inflammation, cardiovascular risk—and may influence musculoskeletal disease. #RNL26 https://t.co/ypKnOJojAm
Dr. John Cush
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RT @Gibson_RheumPAC
Nearly 50% of U.S. adults may meet criteria for obesity by 2030.
For rheumatologists, it directly impacts disease activity, outcomes, and treatment response. #RNL26 https://t.co/cpy4LBBPHc
Dr. John Cush
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Study of 90 adolescents (46 w. Juvenile fibromyalgia (JFM) & 44 controls) finds that JFM pts have greater sensitivity to non-painful sensory stimuli, such as sounds and bright lights; such hypersensitivity is closely related to the severity of the disease and brain function https://t.co/KGqzRK6e4a
Dr. John Cush
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Which Fibromyalgia Drugs are Cost-Effective?
A cost-effectiveness analysis compared FDA approved fibromyalgia (FM) drugs (pregabalin, duloxetine, milnacipran) with amitriptyline and found duloxetine was the preferred strategy across perspectives.
https://t.co/5NZeYquGxs https://t.co/rhcwH2yLEm
Dr. John Cush
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Longitudinal study of 1761 US military service pre- & post-deployment. The prevalence of fibromyalgia in Males/Females was 2.%/2% (sames as civilians) but post-deploy incr to 8%/11% (P < 0.001). PTSD incr from 21% /18% to 23%/26%. PTSD predeployment lead to a 3 fold risk of FM. https://t.co/XTjuhjx0zd
Dr. John Cush
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DARWIN study ADHD med use among children and adults in Europe (Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, UK) more than doubled betw 2010 to 2023. IN UK use went up 20X in females, 15X males. (Ed. note: ADHD meds-->poor sleep-->fibromyalgia-->MSK pains) https://t.co/KlvUF1vhhj https://t.co/yEWXwM0WBL
Dr. John Cush
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What Is Restless Legs Syndrome? JAMA Patient Education handout. https://t.co/fCqArVxrSu https://t.co/WjFNWyr9Q2
Dr. John Cush
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Are JAK Inhibitors Better at Pain Relief in RA?
Among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who responded to upadacitinib (Rinvoq) or adalimumab, those receiving upadacitinib had significantly less residual pain with treatment, according to a post hoc analysis of phase III trial https://t.co/QrbwlxIm3d
Dr. John Cush
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Acupuncture in SpA metanalysis of 35 RCTs (2,591 AS pts) showed statistically significant improvements BASDAI score, BASFI score, ASDAS, VAS score, CRP level, and ESR level. Findings imited by high heterogeneity & the lack of large-scale, high-quality RCTs. https://t.co/gznAiNo0k4
Dr. John Cush
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Metanalysis of 21 clinical trials, 2,100 adults, shows cannabis-based medicines (vs placebo) over 2-26 weeks are not effective in treating chronic neuropathy nerve pain, regardless if given as THC of CBD. https://t.co/ZOJrcMGZkr https://t.co/nqCWoFmaWp
Dr. John Cush
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Metanalysis of Tramadol included 19 PBO-RCTs, 6506 pts, showing a very modest benefit on chronic pain (low certainty of evidence), but a doubling of risk for serious adverse events (OR 2.13); including nausea (NNH 7), dizziness (NNH 8), constipation (NNH 9), somnolence (NNH 13) https://t.co/0ZEIoy1gqC
